Stop, Look, and Listen

Note: This lesson was the first presented by our current preacher when he joined our work six-and-a-half years ago. Now he delivers it again as he prepares to join another work.

We have signs that are posted at dangerous intersections and crossroads, and one of those many signs reads: “Stop, Look & Listen.” We come to crossroads time and again in our lives, and, whenever we reach those crossroads we should always remember to stop, look, and listen. We need to stop our worldly disagreements; we need to look up, out and around; and we need to listen to one another and to God.

Stopping, Looking, and Listening

Stop Grumbling. John 6:41-51 records Jesus speaking to a multitude trying to understand His teachings about His being the bread of life and the eternal refreshing coming from Him. In this context, He tells them to stop their grumbling, and we must do likewise. We must stop complaining. We must stop our arguing. It accomplishes nothing but discouragement, and Galatians 5:15 warns us against consuming each other in negativity. Instead, we should be edifying and encouraging each other.

Look Up. In John 4:31-38, the apostles are urging Christ to eat, but he asks them to redirect their attention, to lift up their eyes and look at the people all around them in need of the gospel. We need to look up and look out for opportunities and for each other as in Philippians 2:4. We should be putting self interest aside, and we must be involved in the needs of others. Then, we need to be looking up as in Colossians 3:1-2. Instead of being focused on the things of this life, we need to set our eyes and our minds on things above. That is the goal forever in front of us. That is the promise we have no matter the pains, distractions, and sorrows of this life.

Listen. James 1:19 calls on us to be swift to hear and slow to speak. We need to listen with open ears and closed mouths, listening to understand, not to rebut. We come from different perspectives, different levels of maturity, different backgrounds, different convictions. This type of listening is imperative if we are to grow as a Christian family. Also, John 10:27 reminds us that we need to listen to our Shepherd. We need to take His word and absorb it. We need to make that word a part of us because we listen to it so intently, desiring understanding.

Conclusion

After we stop, look, and listen, we need to move forward as one with the Lord. If we do this, then any crossroads we face are only temporary. Any separations we experience are only for a time, for we can make that crossing knowing our destination, knowing we will all be reunited one day with our God in Heaven.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Rest That Awaits Us

Hebrews 12, after lifting up numerous examples of enduring faith in chapter 11, speaks of Jesus as the captain on our faith, using a term seldom used in the Bible. Joshua, Saul, David, and Hezekiah were referred to as captain in parts of their reigns, and the Hebrew writer impresses on us that Jesus is a better ruler than even these. This same author quotes from the Psalms of David, and invokes more Old Testament imagery, in chapter 4:1-11, speaking of the rest into which we may enter.

Despite having some great leaders, the people of the Old Testament never found true rest in the Lord. He speaks of their disobedience, of their disbelief – not in God’s existence or His power, but rather in His all-sufficiency and His ability to provide something better than they already knew. Time and again in their history, the children of Israel demonstrate they long for and are content with the things of this world. They do not trust in God’s all-sufficiency and always keep God’s promises at arm's length. Whether it’s coming out of Egypt, leaving the wilderness, living amidst the idolatry of Canaan, or returning from Babylonian captivity, they demonstrate a willingness to just stay where they are.

Are we like this spiritually? Are we content stagnating in our spiritual growth? Simply arriving into God’s deliverance is not the rest in itself (Hebrews 4:8-10), and we have a rest promised to us if we are diligent to remain faithful. Like ancient Israel, however, we fall short when we grow content in stagnation, when we grow resistant to facing the challenges of discipleship. Remember how often the children of Israel affirmed their faith in God and promised their obedience, falling short time and again because their actions did not support their words. Hebrews 3:16-19 reminds us this lack of faith and trust kept Israel from ever finding true rest in the Lord.

God has an eternal plan to save us and give us rest (Hebrews 1, Ephesians 3:11). We may not follow that plan, however, and be content with something that approximates that plan but cannot provide the ultimate peace of Hebrews 4:9-10, this cessation of all labor to live in God’s glory for all time. Think of the imagery in Revelation 21-22, where death, tears, suffering will be forever erased. All the trials we face in this life will be behind us, and we will find our peace in Him.

We cannot be content with where we are spiritually. We cannot become sedentary. We cannot keep looking back at the comforts we left behind to follow God. Our path is not the easy path. Instead, we must strive forward to be like and with Christ. God has promised us something better, but it takes obedience, faith, and growth to reach that promised rest.

We have to listen to those good tidings of Hebrews 4:2-7. We have to then be obedient to that word like the Hebrew writer admonishes us in chapter 4:6 and 11. Then we can never become complacent with our progress. Our actions and our attitudes convey our faith in God’s all-sufficiency, in His ability to provide something better. We cannot consider ourselves to have arrived until we hear Him say, “Enter in, good and faithful servant.”

lesson by Tim Smelser